Air heater



Sept. 20, 1932. wfWt HICKS AIR HEATER Filed Dec. 17, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l- Sept. 20, 1932.

W. W. HICKS AIR HEATER Filed Dec. 17-. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

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FIE E Patented Sept. 20, 1932 UNITED ST TES PATENT? OFFICE WILLIAM wESLEY HICKS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOB '10 WESIX NATIONAL COMPANY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF DELA- WARE m nmrifm Application filed December 17, 1828. Serial .11'0. 328,484.:

This invention relates generally to electrical devices for heating the rooms of buildings. It is intended particularly foruse with heaters of the portable type.

It is a general object of thls invention to devise an electrical heater of the character referred to above, which is constructed in such a manner as to secure an effective distribution of radiant heat, and at the same time to impart a substantial amount of heat to convection currents of air.

It is a further object of this invention to.

devise a small electrical heater of simple construction, having a minimum number of parts, and which may be readily manufactured and assembled.

It is a further object of this invention to devise a novel form of mountin for use with the electrical heating element 0 an electrical air heater.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following description in which I have set forth the preferred embodiment of my invention. his to be understood that the appended claims are to be accorded a range v showing a Fi 5 is across sectional view taken along the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fi 6 is a cross sectional detail taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5. v,

The specific embodiment of my invention which I have illustrated in the drawings can be described as utilizing an electrical heating element 10 disposed wlthin a suitable hous: ing 11. The housing 11 is of novel'construction and includes a base member 12, shown in detail in Fig. 2, and a top member13. These members are generally made of a suitable metal, as for example aluminum castings. The main body or intermediate portion of the housing is formed by amback wall 14 in conjunction with a front 16.

The back wall 14 is preferably imperforate and practically fiat as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, for a reason which will be presently apparent.

The front wall. 16 however is bent arcuate,

preferably in such a manner that itsubstantially conforms to the surface of a cylinder. The side edges of the front wall 16" are connectedto or are otherwise retained upon the side edges of theback wall 14. For example 7 one convenient construction is shown in Fig.

4 in which both the back and front walls are formed of a single sheet of metal, the joined edges of this metal being indicated at 17 For retaining the parts of the housing in assembled'relationship, a pluralityof bolts 19 are provided. These bolts are inserted through apertures provided in the top member 13, and have their lower ends projecting j through brackets 21 secured to the base member 12. Nuts 22 upon these bolts serve to clamp the upper and lower members 13 and 12 tightly upon the'main body of the housing.

A plurality of lugs 23 can be provided upon the upper plate 13, for. properly positioning this plate with respect to the front and back walls, and similarly a shoulder 24 can be provided upon the base member 12 for positioning the same. For retaining the housing in spaced relationship with the floor, suitable legs 26 are provided, and members 12 and 13 are provided with openings 27 and 28 to permit free circulation of convection currents of air. The front wall 16 is likewise provided with a pluralty of openin s or perforations 29, both for permitting in ow and discharge of convection currents of air, and in order to permit direct radiation of heat from the heating element 10.

A variety of of a refractory formed of suitablef'refractor material, such as fire clay. The preferred s ape of this core:

heating elements can be employed, but I prefer to utilize one consisting provides a hollow or concave back surface 32, and a convexly curved front surface 33. I prefer that the front surface 33 correspond generally to the contour of the front wall 16, and therefore this surface is substantially semi-cylindrical. The front core surface 33 is also provided with a plurality of laterally extending grooves 34 which serve to retain one or more convoluted resistance conductors 36. Conductors 36 are distributed over substantially all the surface 33, and since in operation they are heated to a glowing or radiating temperature, they serve together with the front surface 33 to radiate heat thru sub- 1 sta'ntially an angle of 180 degrees.

For mounting the heating element I pro vide the base of the form or core with a flange portion 37, which is arranged to rest upon a plurality of brackets or lugs 38 formed upon or secured to the base member 12. Suitable retaining means such as the metal cotter pins 41, are inserted through the flange portion 37 and the lugs 38. The lower ends of the cotter pins have spread portions 42, and imposed between these spread portions and the lower faces of lugs 38, are the compression springs 43.

It is apparent that the mounting for the heating element such as described above, provides cushioning means tending to prevent breakage of the heating element form or core in case a shock is imparted to the heater housing. For example if the heater should fall over, one or more of the springs 1-3 will afford certain amount of give to prevent a sudden shock being imparted to'theheating element core. 'This feature is desirable since the refractory material with which these cores are generally made is comparatively fragile and might otherwise readily break if adequate cushioning means were not provided. A mounting of this kind is also easy to assemble during manufacture.

For making electrical connections to the heating element, I have shown this element provided with connection terminals 46. with which the conductors of a flexible electrical cord 47. are connected.

It is characteristic of my heater that heat is radiated thru substantially an angle of 180 degrees. B y distributing the radiant heat in this manner, the warming effect of the heater is apparent through a wide space, and the radiant heat at any one point is not sufficiently intense to cause a fire hazard or to cause injury to nearby furniture. In addition to the heat which is directly radiated, a substantial amount of heat is imparted to convection currents of air. Air currents are free to pass upwardly through the housing both between the heating element 10 and front wall 16, and between the core and the back wall 14. The concave surface 32 together with the back wall forms an effective flue tending to augment upward circulation operation in a comparatively out of the way I position.

I claim:

1. An electrical air heater comprising a housing, said housing having an upstanding perforated front wall curved transversely to conform substantially to a portion of the surface of a cylinder, said housing also including a substantially flat vertical back wall having its side edges retained near the side edges of the front wall, an upstanding refractory core disposed within ,said housing, the front surface of said core being curved similarly to the front wall of the housing and disposed substantially equidistant therefrom throughout its area, a resistance conductor disposed upon and distributed over said front surface of said core, and top and bottom end walls on said housing having openings therein to facilitate passage of convection currents of air.

2. In an electrical air heater, an electrical heating element comprising a resistance conductor and supporting means for the same, a base member, means loosely connecting said element to said base member and resilient means for yieldably tightening the connection.

3. In an electric air heater, a refractory form. a resistance conductor mounted upon said form, a pair of terminal connectors for facilitating connection of said resistance conductor to a source of current, a base member, means independent of said terminal connectors for loosely connecting said form to the base member, and resilient means for yieldably tightening the connection between the form and the base member.

4. In an electric air heater, a refractory form, a resistance conductor mounted upon said form, a base member, said form being supported directly upon the upper surface of said base member, securing means extending from. said form having a portion disposed below the lower surface of said base member, and yieldable means disposed between said portion of the securing means and the lower surface of the base member for minimizing the shock of forces tending to dislodge the form from said base member.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

\VILLIAM WESLEY HICKS. 

